Vampires be forewarned: SHINKU is here to kick ass and take names! The first issue of Ron Marz and Lee Moder’s sexy story of a lone samurai versus hordes of bloodsucking vampires sold out at distribution level before it even hit the shelves.   

EGYPT CENTRAL fans have spoken.  They’ve been raving about the album on the band’s Facebook and Twitter pages since the May 31 release of the Memphis band’s highly anticipated WHITE RABBIT album.  And now, thanks to those devoted and outspoken fans, the album will make its debut on SoundScan’s “Current Hard Music Albums” chart at #5 next week.  It also debuts at #78 on Billboard’s “Top 200 Albums” chart.  

Dark Descent Records is proud to announce the CD reissue of Death Strike’s Fuckin’ Death. Active from 1984 to 1985, Fuckin’ Death represented one of death metal’s earliest recordings. Death Strike disbanded after 1985’s Fuckin’ Death demo and Paul Speckmann went    

Icon In Me puts out their third title release and pounds awe-inspiring music into the veins of their listeners, releasing an uncontrollable instinct to head bang right through the entire album. Head Break Solution provides a truly astounding definition of the metal genre and delivers the perfect amount of energy in each and every one of their songs.  

The two-man band Trillion Red releases their EP Two Tongues, and delivers some amazing music in each track. Patrick Brown and Max send the pulsating beats throughout your soul with a combination of riveting guitar playing and a profound baseline. Two Tongues clearly defines a new type of metallic rhythm with soft undertones that leave listeners head bobbing for hours.  

Edward Grey delivers a sizable amount of havoc in the final chapter of Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever. Battling through seemingly endless hordes of the living dead–gun wielding living dead– Grey is cornered and stuck between the vicious zombies and a dark cave with mysterious energy.  

FLASH! AAAAHHH AHHHHH!!! What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you hear “Flash Gordon”? Of course it’s the campiest movie ever with the killer Queen soundtrack. That’s what I thought of when my boss handed me this hardcover collection. Dark Horse Archives brought back some classics here, from the late 60s-70s that are sure to please any fan of the original series, or just maybe, make us skeptics into believers.  

Universal Republic’s Volbeat has announced a Summer tour across North America that brings the band coast to coast, and in to Canada for multiple dates.  Following a near sold-out run in March and April of this year, the Danish metal band continues to sell-out larger venues with each tour of North America.   

Swedish progressive metal titan Katatonia has announced its return to North American shores this fall. Katatonia will join fellow countrymen Opeth on a six week run, dubbed the “Heritage Tour”, which will conquer over 30 cities across the US and Canada beginning in September.  

The members of seminal NYC Platinum hardcore/metal band Biohazard have announced that bassist/co-vocalist Evan Seinfeld has left the line-up.  “We have a long history together, but it’s time for a change,” said guitarist/co-founder Bobby Hambel.  “We wish Evan well.”  

Heavy Metal Warrior and powerhouse vocalist Veronica Freeman of BENEDICTUM offers her thoughts on each of the songs from the band’s masterpiece release, Dominion (Frontiers). Read on to get the inside scoop on these stunning anthems.  

As anticipation builds for their third rage-filled release, Head Break Solution, modern melodeath supergroup ICON IN ME (featuring current and former members of Soilwork, Hostile Breed, The Absolute and Transport League) has posted a clip from the video for “Un-Slaved”